Northampton (MA) Fire Department’s ladder truck has failed during several recent fires and officials are considering borrowing money to replace it according to a report published by the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

The city’s fire chief called the 2003 model year aerial a “severe safety hazard” and told city officials he doesn’t trust the truck to work when it’s needed the most, according to the newspaper. The report said the chief told the city councilors that the aerial recently was only able to be raised about six feet before it quit and had to have a mechanic come in to override the system to lower it back into its cradle.

The city’s current truck has a pump and a tank which allow it to work as an engine too, the newspaper reported, but the fire department does not want those features on the replacement aerial. Because the tank and pump were deleted in the specifications, the truck will cost about $1.09 million oppose to upwards of $1.6 million, the paper reported.

The council’s Finance Committee made a positive recommendation to the full nine-member council to buy the new aerial which could be up to 18 months before delivery, the paper reported.

The councilors will now figure out how to pay for the truck, and might borrow money through bonding to make the purchase, the paper reported.

New Engine Is Named for Chief Lyn Hutton, Former CGFD Chief & A Pioneer Among Women in New York State Fire Service

The Cherry Grove (NY) Fire Department held a dedication ceremony and wet-down celebration on Saturday September 25th 2021 at their headquarters for their new engine, 526-1, which was put into service earlier this year. 526-1 was dedicated in honor of Cherry Grove’s longtime Ex-Chief, and pioneer for women in the fire service, Lyn Hutton. Hutton was on hand to celebrate, as well as members of the community and firefighters from near and far!

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Chief Hutton, a New York native, has been a Cherry Grove resident since 1972. She joined the Fire Department in 1976, one of only a handful of women in the fire service at that time. Quickly rising to Assistant Fire Chief, she became the Department’s first female Chief in 1980, a position she held until 1994. She is also believed to be the first female fire chief in New York State. She remained a Training Officer for the CGFD until her recent retirement.  Hutton was among the early teaching staff at the annual training weekend for women firefighters conducted by the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control at the NYS Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls, NY.  She, and other women from Cherry Grove, were on the early Board of the Fire Service Women of New York State.  Chief Hutton has been a trailblazer for women in the department.  She was the first of three women Fire Chiefs in Cherry Grov

By Bill Adkins

Today we’re going to talk about the age-old debate of which manufacturer is better than the rest. With so many manufacturers out there, how do we choose which one to go with? Most of us have grown up rooting for a certain vehicle manufacturer, and that pride carries over to the fire and EMS world.

One thing I guarantee is that every manufacturer is ready and willing to tell you why they are the best. But are they really the best?

When getting quotes for a fire apparatus it is not uncommon for quotes, for the same type of fire equipment, to have a difference of price in excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars. One must look at the fine print. What type of engine and pump do they have? Different manufacturers have higher standards for their base models.

For example, Manufacturer A comes standard with a Cummins L9 with 400 horsepower and Manufacturer B comes standard with a Cummins X12 with 500 horsepower. Manufacturer A has a Waterous pump and Manufacturer B a Hale pump. Each of those minor details can account for tens of thousands of dollars. You and your department should discuss what is best for your needs.

In almost all cases, Manufacturer A will still sell the same standards as Manufacturer B; as you can imagine, the price will increase as you go. Once you have the standards equal, then look at the price difference. Most likely those prices are now comparable.